Love
by Clez
Summary: Love is a many splendoured thing! Love lifts us up where we belong! All you need is love!


**Author's Note:** Ack! Another one! These things are infectious, I tell you! Aheh. Okay, these won't keep coming. It's just that I did the last one, and this one followed naturally. Slight change in cast for this one though.

* * *

Anise Delacroix is walking briskly down the corridor, shaking her head, and she reaches the tower passage, entering to climb the ladder. Footsteps are heard rushing up behind her, and Tom Sawyer bursts onto the scene, surging up the ladder after her, wearing a stupid, enthusiastic grin.

**TOM:**

**[eagerly]**

Love is a many splendoured thing! Love lifts us up where we belong! All you need is love!

Anise reaches the top of the ladder, sighing, shaking her head again.

**ANISE:**

**[pleading]**

Please, don't start that again.

Anise pushes out onto the tower, and walks into the centre of the promenade, Tom right behind her. He laughs quietly, cocking his head, before he does something that catches Anise by surprise.

**TOM:**

**[singing enthusiastically to her]**

_All you need is Love!_

Though she is surprised by the sudden turn of events from her companion, she shakes her head stubbornly, putting on a brave face as she turns away, as though exasperated.

**ANISE:**

**[matter of fact]**

A girl has got to eat.

Unshaken by the dejection, Tom pushes up behind her, and repeats himself:

**TOM:**

_All you need is love!_

**ANISE:**

Or she'll end up on the street!

****

**TOM:**

_All you need is love!_

Anise sighs, lowering her head a little, and closing her brown eyes. Softly, she sings as well.

**ANISE:**

**[almost sadly]**

_Love is just a game_…

Tom is not put down by this either, almost as though he hasn't heard it. He pushes around in front of her, and circles her, almost playfully predatory in his motions. 

**TOM:**

_I was made for loving you baby, _

_You were made for loving me._

Anise turns with him, following him mainly with her eyes, as she tilts her head, and puts on a smile.

**ANISE:**

**[somewhat darkly]**

_The only way of loving me baby, _

_Is to pay a lovely fee._

Tom almost pouts, and pulls a momentarily sad face, before pushing closer to her.

**TOM:**

_Just one night, _

_Just one night…_

She pushes Tom away, and he staggers back, jaw dropped with a laugh. She shakes her head stubbornly.

**ANISE:**

_There's no way, _

_Cause you can't pay!_

Tom runs past her, and with a gasp, Anise watches as he hops up onto the conning tower railing, grabbing one of the poles to swing around as he regards her again.

_  
_**TOM:**

_In the name of love, _

_One night in the name of love!_

_  
_Anise is watching him with wide eyes, shocked at his behaviour, and she moves towards him as if to pull him down chidingly.

**ANISE:**

_You crazy fool, _

_I won't give in to you._

__  
Tom hops down, and his tone goes with him as he lands before her, making her start slightly. He takes one of her hands in his, looking saddened.

**TOM:**

_Don't… leave me this way, _

_I can't survive, _

_Without your sweet love, _

_Oh baby, don't leave me this way…_

__  
Anise pulls back from him, taking her hand away, and turns to the ocean at the side of the railing, the wind playing through her chocolate-coloured hair as she sings to the waves.

**ANISE:**

_You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs_…

Tom is by her side, and he regards her as he leans on the railing in a casual way, with one elbow. 

**TOM:**

_I look around me, _

_And I see it isn't so, _

No…

**ANISE:**

_Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs_…

As he starts, Tom walks around her, singing into her ear at the beginning, and then slowly growing more confident, and increasing his volume. As he walks back, away from her, he is always facing her, locking eyes.

**TOM:**

_Well, what's wrong with that? _

_I'd like to know, _

_Cause, here I go again!_

**[grins]**

_Love lifts us up where we belong, _

_Where eagles fly on a mountain high!_

__  
Anise follows him, as if backing him into a corner, in a challenge.

**ANISE:**

_Love makes us act like we are fools, _

_Throw our lives away, _

_For one happy day!_

**TOM:**

_We could be heroes! _

**[winks]**

_Just for one day…_

__  
Anise turns and walks away again, with Tom hot on her heels as she tries to dissuade him again, despite his vehemence.

**ANISE:**

_You… you will be mean_…

His grin spreads at this comment. 

**TOM:**

**[laughing slightly]**

No, I won't!

It appears as though she is pulling excuses from everywhere now. 

**ANISE:**

**[shrugs]**

_And I_… I'll drink all the time!

Unwavering in his insistence, Tom takes her directly to the railing, moving swiftly, as though time is of the essence, and his voice is loud now, almost trying to encourage her to get caught up in the song. 

**TOM:**

_We should be lovers!_

__  
Another shake of her head, as she looks away from him.

**ANISE:**

**[softly]**

_We can't do that_…

He turns her head back, first to him, then out to sea again. 

**TOM:**

_We should be lovers, _

_And that's a fact._

__  
Anise turns to him, and gives him a pleading look.

**ANISE:**

_Though nothing will keep us together_.

Tom takes her by the shoulders, looking down at her squarely. 

**TOM:**

_We could steal time, _

_Just for one day._

__  
Anise sees the look in his eyes, and the two stare into each other's gaze for a moment, before Tom prompts her into singing along with him. As they sing, they regard each other and the ocean alternatively, as though filled with a new hope.

**BOTH:**

_We could be heroes, _

_Forever and ever!_

_We could be heroes, _

_Forever and ever! _

_We could be heroes…_

__  
Tom releases Anise completely, and throws his head back, overtaken with emotion for a moment.

**TOM:**

_Just because I will always love you_.

Anise turns to him, and their voices blend beautifully as their words mingle. 

**ANISE:**

_I can't help loving you…_

**[happy sigh]**

_How wonderful life is…_

__  
It appears she's convinced… they turn face to face, and sing directly to one another, their voices soft and affectionate, tender almost in their sound. Tom is smiling, and though Anise is not, the light in her eyes shows her contentment.

**BOTH:**

_Now, you're in the…_

**[pause]**

_World…  
  
_

With a smile, Anise leans her head up, and the two kiss.


End file.
